State Agencies Working to Assess Northwoods Flood Damage

As flood waters recede in northwest Wisconsin, state workers are out in force assessing damage and planning rebuilding efforts.

Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas and Iron Counties all remain in a state of emergency while damage assessments take place.

Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman Andrew Beckett says many of the affected areas are very rural, meaning it’s going to take time for assessments to happen. “We have a lot of areas where there are roads that aren’t traveled frequently. So it may take time for somebody to even realize there was damage done to that route.”

That doesn’t mean summer vacations need to go on hold. People should still plan to come north, Beckett says, but just make sure you can get where you want to go.

“They should make sure that the route is safe and go. But it does take time to make sure that all areas are safe again.”

Many roads are closed due to flooding, washout and damage. If you come across a blocked road, please follow the detour.